Hot Tin Roof

Travel Edition – Key West, FL

This has to be one of the coolest places to eat in Key West. It overlooks Key West Harbor and Sunset Pier and has spectacular views, especially if you go there in the evening when the entire pier lights up and is alive with people and music. The styling is Island whimsy and has a very interesting entrance and staircase. We had difficulty with the GPS finding the place as it is tucked around the corner close to the pier entrance. We had to go into the hotel (Ocean Key Resort and Spa) and ask where it was. Before we opened our mouths, they greeted us and said “looking for Hot Tin Roof” (so it must happen frequently).

We were running late this evening, so I had called ahead and let them know. They were very accommodating and let us know it was not a problem but there was another reservation for the same table an hour later and asked if that would be enough time. I appreciated that they were willing to be pleasant and straight forward, so we respected the timeline and kept within it.

We were seated outside on the balcony overlooking the pier and, if you can, we would recommend you request it as it has to be one of the most romantic spots in all of key west. The interior was full of wild sculptures and painted murals on the ceiling and gave that Island feeling of eclectic styling.

The service was impeccable and pleasant. They have a nice selection of interesting and unique crafted cocktails, so I ordered the “Hot tin tini” which was a chilled pineapple vodka infusion (and very good) and my wife ordered the Kim Crawford sauvignon blanc. We already knew what we wanted to eat so we ordered immediately (and we wanted to make sure we didn’t take too much time, it turned out that the service was so good it didn’t matter) and relaxed with our drinks and enjoyed the views and live music coming from the pier (with the exception of the occasional rum party boat passing by, which we always smile at because that’s just not our idea of fun but to each their own…).

For appetizers we ordered the Burrata Salad with cucumber which was incredible, and we could have just eaten that and been happy. We then ordered the Lobster Mac and Cheese and the Beef Short Rib. Both were amazing and we appreciated the hometown comfort food vibe we got from them. Apparently, the menu changes nightly so this restaurant never gets boring and we would have gone back several times if we were staying longer. We wanted to save room for dessert and take them to go so we could enjoy them back at the hotel with the live music there (sadly we found out they were not having live music that night so we should have stayed and eaten our desserts by the pier). We ordered the Pineapple Rum Cake with Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream and the Key Lime Pie with a cashew graham cracker crust.

Overall, this was a great experience that we wish we had taken more time to enjoy and would highly recommend.

Tonight reminds me of something I once heard someone say when giving marital advice, “Marriage is like a bank, you have to put in more than you take out”, and tonight was a romantic evening where we put a little more in the bank.

Wishing you and yours well. 😊

Southernmost Beach Cafe

Travel Edition – Key West, FL

We arrived at the Southernmost Beach Café after an obligatory photo at the Southernmost Point and a quick walk over. They have a huge Adirondack chair out front that is a bit of an optical illusion, if you take a picture sitting all the way back it appears as if you are really tiny. They have a small beach and some nice places to sit and enjoy the view for a few before dinner. Unlike some of the finer dining places this has a down home and casual feel about it along with extraordinary views. It doesn’t hurt that it is located at the end of Duval so the location is perfect for a stroll either before or after dinner down the famed street.

Parking can be a bit challenging so like we mentioned before, we would recommend leaving your vehicle at the hotel and just hail a Lyft or Uber. You will find this to be an easy and stress free experience. We arrived early and after taking a couple of tourists photos we strolled down Duval and visited several of the many art studios and souvenir shops. There are some incredible art studios down the strip so take your time and marvel at all the beautiful things you cant figure out where you would put in your home (or at least that’s what we do).

We strolled back to the Café and were welcomed at the front with a big smile and immediately seated in a cute outside table just off the sand and looking at the ocean. Actually, pretty much every seat here looks directly at the ocean. The waitress came and took our drink orders (of course we ordered white wine and a dirty martini). I was impressed when, not wanting to keep us waiting, the waitress made the decision to put regular olives instead of the blue cheese stuffed olives (which I love) in my drink so she could get them out. The impressive part is she told us that they couldn’t find the blue cheese olives but she would keep looking and didn’t want to keep us waiting. In a couple minutes she returned with the correct olives and a big smile. I appreciated that she made it a priority even though I had not.

We ordered Eggplant Chips as our appetizer (which were delicious). For the main course we ordered a Tomato Burrata Salad and the Drunken Glazed Scallops with lobster mashed potatoes and glazed baby carrots. I was pleasantly surprised that the flavors and plating were such a high quality and was not expecting that in a casual café. The food was delicious, and the service was wonderful. We really enjoyed the food and the Key West type atmosphere. Sometimes we want good food without all the extra efforts, and this seems like the perfect place for that. Enjoy every moment in life and if you are as lucky as I am to have an amazing spouse, these are the times to appreciate. Wishing you the best.

Better Than Sex

Travel Edition – Key West, FL

Yes, that really is the name of a restaurant in Key West. Actually, it is specifically a dessert restaurant. We weren’t sure what to make of this when we first saw it but after seeing their clever menu we decided to give it a shot, and we were glad we did. This is just a fun and romantic experience centered around a total dessert experience.

I don’t know if you have ever attempted to drive in downtown Key West but it is not for the faint of heart. Between the scooters, golf carts, and pedestrians (most of which were less than sober) it can certainly surprise you at any moment. So, we prefer to use Uber or Lyft while in town. It’s very convenient and there are plenty of quality local drivers, so I don’t think we ever waited for more than 2 minutes for a ride anywhere, which was nice. You can walk and explore as much as you like then just hail a Lyft when you are ready.

We took our Lyft from the pier to “Better Than Sex” and found several couples waiting out front (on a Thursday night in the middle of COVID) so we highly recommend reservations. There were several people that were getting desserts to go (which typically means they have excellent food) but the experience is so good you should take your time and do the full sit-down experience. We were greeted immediately and found a seat in the small and slightly crowded waiting area. They called us and we walked through the opening to a dimly lit dining room with separated and cozy individual tables that were more like little private booths. The walls were painted a deep red, the ceiling had tin decorative tiles, the booths each were lit mostly with candlelight, and there was an eclectic collection of different chandeliers everywhere. It was clearly intended to create a cheeky and romantic atmosphere and landed the intended effect.

The server came by our private area and offered us digital menus which I appreciated since I have trouble reading menu’s in dimly lit restaurants (it was also hard to get good pictures). My wife tells me its because I am presbyopic and my eyes cannot flex like….blah, blah, blah. I know its just a nice way of telling me I’m old (specifically because she always gets a sly smile and a twinkle in her eye when she is telling me that, I think she finds it funny) and I think its cute when she teases me. The digital menus are nice and we took a few minutes laughing about the descriptions they use to describe the drinks and desserts (this creates a bit of levity and some fun banter with your date so I don’t want to spoil it for you but take some time and enjoy their creativity and word play).

We ordered our drinks which were decadent and fun. I ordered the “Late night Rendezvous” which is nice coffee with an Amaretto licker and rimmed with your choice of chocolate, and my wife ordered the “French Kiss” which is Ayala Champagne in a caramel covered glass with bruleed sugar. We then ordered the “Between my red velvet sheets” red velvet cheesecake on a cookie dough crust with cream cheese frosting and the “Popcorn Pimp” vanilla bean cheesecake on a sugar cookie crust and a salted popcorn chocolate bark with caramel sauce. I did say decadent right? It was all excellent and I will let you read the real (slightly blush inducing) descriptions on your own…….

Overall, this was an excellent experience with wonderful desserts and a great atmosphere that you can’t help but enjoy. Plan to spend some time here and enjoy! Highly recommended.

Latitudes on Sunset Key

Travel Edition – Key West, FL

Amazing. That is the best way to start a write up on Latitudes, amazing atmosphere, amazing service, amazing food. This might be one of the most romantic restaurants we have ever seen. I will say that getting a reservation can be quite a challenge so the moment you start planning a trip to Key West you should probably book this one. We tried, as usual, to book online with OpenTable but there was nothing available. I did however find success when I picked up the phone and spoke to the staff there directly. I explained that it was my wife’s birthday and they managed to make it work and fit us in. If you are unable to find a dinner reservation it is still worth going if you can get in for lunch.

Our reservation was for 5:15 (which is actually the time you check in for the water taxi not your meal) so we would be there to see the sunset. They will check you in dockside then transport you to Sunset Key (a beautiful private island that has homes owned by superstars like Oprah) just 10 minutes by boat. When you arrive you will immediately see why this is such a coveted reservation and why some people make them a year in advance. The restaurant has a little beach area surrounding it and plenty of outdoor tables with beautifully lit tiki’s like something you would expect to see in Hawaii or in a movie. Once you get off the boat you will pass by the quaint outdoor bar and be checked in then immediately seated. One couple stopped at the bar first and was not checked in which created confusion once they were ready to be seated. We would recommend you just get a drink at your table and enjoy the view.

The staff was impeccable and very professional. Since this is Key West the dress code is relaxed but make no mistake, this is an upscale restaurant so wear something nice. My wife had on a beautiful Lilly dress and pearls and I had on a nice Tommy Bahama shirt and khaki shorts.

They have a very nice drink menu and the very friendly waiter made his recommendations. I had the Key Lime Martini (and later the house special Latitude 24N81W martini) and my wife had the Pomegranate Margarita. All of the drinks were fantastic and they kept a good eye out to make sure they were there when you wanted another or to keep your waterglass full.

For appetizers we had the lobster bisque (which was different because they use local Florida lobster but very good nonetheless) and the artisan cheese plate (perhaps one of the best cheese plates I have ever had, it was incredible). For the main course I had the grilled center cut tenderloin (it was perfectly cooked and the seasoning and blue cheese topping was amazing) and my wife had the butter poached Caribbean lobster tail in a delicate potato fried basket (absolutely beautiful and delicious but different from Maine lobster, if you have never had it you should expect it to be a little less sweet).

By the time we were finishing our meals the sun was setting and the atmosphere was incredibly beautiful. I believe there was another couple that got engaged on the dock just in front of the restaurant and everyone clapped and cheered. The staff was very gracious to take pictures for all the couples that were trying to capture the moment and the entire experience felt like something out of a magazine. We opted not to have dessert as we had other plans for that (which I will do a write up on), not that we could have eaten one more bite. The food was so good you just don’t want to stop eating. We went back to the dock and relaxed while we waited for the next ferry back to Key West (I believe they come every 30 mins). The ride back was nice and the boat ride feels like a bit of a bonus and we really enjoyed every minute of this experience. We would highly recommend you plan a special trip to Latitudes the next time you go down to Key West, we know we will again. Have you ever had your expectations exceeded on every level and somehow the food tastes better, the service seems excellent, and the atmosphere more romantic and a bit magical? Yeah, its like that.

Casa Marina – Key West

For my wife’s birthday we decided to have a little weekend getaway in famed Key West, Florida. Known for Earnest Hemmingway, Truman’s Little White House, Fantasy Fest and the Southernmost Point of the United States (Stateside, I actually think Hawaii is closer to the equator) and only 90 miles from Cuba (There is a story of the mayor once waterskiing to Cuba to illustrate how close it is).

We made some new friends from Michigan who know way more about food and libations and they recommended we say more about the total experience so here goes.

We booked a room at the Waldorf Astoria’s Casa Marina for 3 days and away we went on a road trip adventure only 4 hours away from the Palm Beaches. We packed up the Ferrari (light packing since there is not much trunk space) and headed out with the top down in the beautiful sunshine. Ok, it was a bit ambitious to drive the whole way with the top down so we put it down once we were off the turnpike, and to be honest we had to put on sunscreen after we realized we were getting sunburns (Not a great way to start out a vacation). But, wow, what a view and beautiful drive! Tip: if your following the GPS you may want to ignore it as you get into Key West and the road forces you to turn left or right. Turn left to take the scenic way around the island and enjoy the view instead of heading through the center of the city residences and crowded streets.

I’ll take a moment to talk about the Casa Marina and what to expect there. They do have valet parking and their team is experienced with supercars so they knew exactly what to do without having to be taught (which we often have to do) but be aware that there is no covered parking and it tends to rain regularly in FL so when we got the car back 4 days later it was the dirtiest I had ever seen it (I am sure my wife was expecting me to freak out but it was fine).

The resort boasts the largest private beachfront in Key West and is a historic building (so don’t be expecting newly renovated, or even the most logical layout in the rooms) and is quite charming even though some of the room bathrooms are quite small. We would recommend you spring for the ocean view with a balcony on the 3^rd floor (you can thank us later). The staff is warm and welcoming and if you are looking for a true Waldorf experience have a chat with Vincent out front. The pools (one for families and one adult only) and beach are the reason to head to this resort with an amazing waterfront experience but be careful if you want to go for a swim in the ocean and its probably best if you enter and exit down by the watersports rental area as we found the rocks to be quite tricky (my wife opted just to head to the pool instead).

We found ourselves renting the sundials (partially covered beach daybeds) each day (literally 30 feet from the water) and it really felt like you were in your own private oasis on the beach but with great service. They technically don’t serve food and drinks on the beach but they do at the pools and we found with a smile and a nice tip the staff were very willing to accommodate. We also enjoyed the nightly local bands and entertainment on the beach or around the bar area each evening.

This was a truly amazing experience and I can think of only a few places that offer this type of old school resort style experience (it reminded me of the resort in Dirty Dancing but I don’t think my wife was up to trying the water lift, LOL). If you plan on spending more time at the pool or on the beach then in the room we would recommend it. There is no shortage of things to do in Key West so have fun.

Stay tuned this week to hear about the food…….

Terralina Crafted Italian

Travel Edition – Orlando

Day 7

Magical dining month (or for us, week) comes to an end with a reservation at Terralina Crafted Italian in the heart of Disney Springs (Some of you may remember this as Downtown Disney).

The parking is easy with parking around the area as well as several relatively new parking complexes that tell you how many spaces are available in each level and row. Tonight, we decided it was easier to take a Lyft and it’s a good thing we did because there are huge lines of cars waiting to get into the parking garages on Friday evenings. Save yourself the time and aggravation if you can and get a Lyft. They drop you off on the east side so you also get to enjoy the walk past the grand stage (which often has live music) and we would recommend you take a walk past Rainforest café (with a huge fireball volcano) and across the beautiful marketplace bridge.

We arrived at Terralina and you can immediately see the outdoor bar area and outside seating along the waters edge of Lake Buena Vista. We entered the front and let them know we had reservations. They asked if we were OK with a high-top to which we responded no. Normally, high tops are the leftover seating around the bar and a last choice for fine dining. I guess I would understand if we did not have a reservation and they were terribly busy, which was not the case (plus my wife was wearing a dress so we were expecting normal seating). They seemed surprised that we said no and told us that we would have to wait 10-15 minutes (As if we didn’t have a reservation). I looked at all the open space on the outside seating area and asked if we could be seated out there, to which they responded sure, if you would like to eat outside (very confusing since it was a beautiful night). They seated us at a table where apparently everyone exited and bumped their strollers into so I moved the table myself 2 more feet towards the water so we could enjoy our dinner. Ok, so hostess team and seating was a fail, but we were looking forward to the award-winning food.

Our waiter was friendly, and we ordered our drinks. My wife ordered a white wine flight (which was good, but the glasses were a strange shape and she had trouble with them) and I ordered a nice red wine. For the appetizers we ordered the Crispy Eggplant Fries with lemon-caper aioli and the Bruschetta. Both were amazing so things were looking up. For the main course I ordered the catch of the day (which happened to be Salmon tonight) and my wife ordered Spaghetti Bolognese with beef, pork and pancetta meat sauce, tomato parmesan cream. They sounded excellent so we were excited (especially since this is a James Beard Award winning chef, Tony Mantuano). Apparently, he did not win the award for his food at Terralina because both main courses were just OK (sort of the food I would expect at Olive Garden for ½ the price). Neither meal was bad, or good and pretty bland. I get the feeling the Chef was not there this evening.

There was an extra ordinarily long wait between our underwhelming meal and when our server appeared again (we joked about a waiter in Palm Beach that always starts off great but then disappears once the food arrives) and it made the experience even more deflating. Neither one of us had any wine or water left when he came back (not great service). For dessert, my wife ordered the Cannoli and it was good (not great) and I ordered the Lemon Panna Cotta with candied thyme which was amazing and we both fought for every bite.

Overall, we would suggest you pass on this overpriced and underwhelming experience since there are plenty of great options in the area. At least Disney Springs was fun and made up for the disappointing meal. Oh well, I guess they can’t all be winners.

Cafe Tu Tu Tango

Travel Edition – Orlando

Day 6

Magical dining month (or for us, week) continues with a reservation at Café Tu Tu Tango. Olay’

If you are looking for a little escape from the quiet fine dining experiences, this unique restaurant should be on your list. Located in Orlando’s tourism corridor on International Drive there are plenty of fun things close by, like the mini golf next door, the giant swing ride, or the nearby Ferris wheel. This makes for a fun and casual total date night experience.

Themed as an artist’s loft from Barcelona Spain and known for three things, Tapas (Spanish appetizer or snack), Live entertainment like belly, salsa, merengue and flamenco dancers, Tarot card readers, and Local artists can be one or all of the things that you are likely to see here at random. Part of the magic of it is that even the staff doesn’t always know what will happen that night. As our waitress told us with a shrug “Well, they are artists, so we will see”.

Normally they have valet parking available (and still likely do on the weekends) and even though they did not this night the parking lot had plenty of room and it was easy to find a space. We walked under the neon sign at the entrance to a warm welcome. We told them we had a reservation (highly recommended) and they walked us to one of what appear to be four spaces, each with its own personality. They have an outdoor seating area, main or center area with a local artists creations, a right side with a little more action, and a left side with (on this night) a tarot card reader and a television with Bob Ross showing how to paint a landscape. We noticed there were paintings and art covering the walls and our waitress told us they were all created by local artists and available for purchase.

We took our seat and were given the dining options (Magical vs. normal) and recommendations by a very friendly waitress. We ordered drinks while we looked over the digital menu (like many restaurants during COVID they use a QR code you hover over in picture mode until the website pops up). We ordered sauvignon blanc (guess, who that was 😊) and I ordered “Angie’s Laugh” (prosecco with a strawberry jalapeño reduction) which was really good and very different. They also have craft beers, limited production wines, Mojito’s, and signature sangria.

The difference with this restaurant and others is the fact that you have 5 courses included in the Magical dining experience (10 with 2 people) so bear with me while I cover the incredible amount of distinct flavors and foods from around the world. To make it easier I will not go into details on exactly what is in each one and I will rate on a scale of 1-5 based on how much we both liked them with 5 being excellent. We started with the Cajun Chicken Eggrolls (4) and Jalapeno Mac & Cheese (5), then came the Cuban sliders (3) and fish tacos (2, very salty), then the Smoked Thai Spare Ribs (4.5, a tad too tangy for my wife but I really liked them) and Sesame Steak Skewers (5), then the Funghi Pizza (3, pretty earthy) and the Polpetta Pizza (4). They do not skimp (as you can see in the pictures) on the portions so pace yourselves if you plan to get to dessert.

The Waitress was excellent and checked on us often as we paused for breaks and made sure our drinks stayed full. Then she offered us boxes and we all joked about how much food it actually is. Our dessert arrived and looked beautiful. I ordered the Strawberry Margarita Shortcake (2, unfortunately the shortcake was slightly stale) and my wife ordered the chocolate dipped cheesecake lollipops (5) which were a very different and fun dessert.

Overall, we really enjoyed our experience and the food was good. You definitely get your money’s worth here and the incredible number of flavors adds to this unique experience. We did not see dancers on a Thursday evening which would have made it better but if you get the chance, we recommend a visit here but maybe on a Friday or Saturday night.

Oceanaire Seafood Room

Travel Edition – Orlando

Day 4

Magical dining month (or for us, week) continues with a reservation at The Oceanaire Seafood Room. This is a fine dining restaurant located in the heart of I Drive in Pointe Orlando on the corner of the plaza next to the Capital Grille. I would like to point out that for many years this has been our favorite upscale restaurant in the area, until tonight.

I spoke about the parking situation in a previous blog but apparently it is inconsistent so while they do offer both valet and garage parking the valet’s seemed to be off their game tonight. They were disorganized at best and we waited 5-10 minutes just to get out of the street. When we did finally move I asked the valet if he was comfortable driving the car (It’s a difficult thing to do if you don’t know how and I have mentioned it in previous posts), he laughed and said “If a valet doesn’t know how to drive this car he shouldn’t be a valet. I chuckled, relieved, and walked away confidently just to watch him struggle for the next few minutes until he gave up and parked in an easy spot (on the street, which made me very uncomfortable).

We entered the familiar Oceanaire with a great amount of confidence that this would be the best meal of the week, it was not. I do want to say that my wife looked stunning and really dressed up for this one, she turned heads as we walked in (I know she will hate me saying that but its true). They have recently remodeled the interior but I was a bit unimpressed with the mishmash styling that seemed to contradict itself and decreased the quality of the previous atmosphere and we felt overdressed.

They led us to a private booth which was very nice and feels upscale. The server was there immediately with a big friendly smile. When we were asked about drinks my wife asked about the selection of sauvignon blanc and the waitress went into how different wines started fruity and ended grassy especially if they were from California or New Zealand (it did not say where they were from on the menu so the reference was immediately lost) and rather than making things easier and just suggesting a wine my wife got frustrated and pointed at the first one she saw (which felt like a waste of time just for the pretentious and was completely useless to us). I ordered the Barrell-Aged Manhattan which was excellent (I try and find different drinks to showcase for you). They have a very nice selection of cocktails, premium pours, and what they call ‘Admirals selections” of wine and champagne.

We ordered from the Magical dining menu. I asked for a recommendation between the Halibut and the Redfish (which I have never had but they fly in the seafood fresh daily so I figured this was the place to try a new fish). I got the same wishey washey kind of answer from the waitress and after several seconds of her going back and forth I just ordered the Black and Blue Redfish which was very good, especially with my drink choice. My wife ordered the steak and lobster tail. I know, she orders the same thing nearly every time but on the bright side its easy to compare the real differences between the chef’s abilities across all restaurants (and frankly she’s not that adventurous with food, but she’s a great wife). We were disappointed that they no longer offer the classic sourdough and relish plate (now its an extra $3.50 and seems silly that they charge a few extra dollars, like a McDonalds charges for extra sauces, in a fine dining establishment). In fact, they no longer bring bread or anything to the table and when the appetizers arrived (I ordered the calamari and my wife ordered the Caesar salad) they seemed off par with the restaurant.

We normally order the baked Alaska since this is one of the few places that offer this exceptionally difficult and decadent dessert so we asked if we could upgrade to that since this is a special occasion. The waitress had become enthralled with another table (apparently had some local weatherman) and we quickly noticed that there was no longer any service or attention for any of her other tables. It was a crushing disappointment from a restaurant that we held in such high regard. We also noticed that the high levels of service (like folding your napkin when you went to the restroom, assistant waiters, or scraping the crumbs off the table) were no longer a priority. Sometimes it’s the small things, especially in service that make a place special and without Scotty (our long time favorite server who left, and now I know why) it just fell flat. We were told that they did not have baked Alaska tonight and instead we got a bland cheesecake and key lime pie where the crust had clearly fallen off the back end (We likened it to something you would find at a buffet or all you can eat restaurant for $20, you know the little squares, yea that).

We paid our $137 bill (I normally don’t include a price but this was worth half that). We aren’t shy about spending money at a nice restaurant for a great experience but this was insulting.

They fell short on atmosphere, service, food, parking, and overall value. They clearly were cutting corners in all aspects and I am not sure if that is due to COVID (but we had great experiences elsewhere) or the Magical Dining and quite frankly I don’t care. This is the second Landry’s restaurant to disappoint in a few days and sadly after many great experiences we will not be back. When you fall that far that fast and forget about great service and great food you do not deserve another shot.

Save your money and go to Applebee’s if you want this kind of service and food.

P.S. To add insult to injury, the valet told me it would be a few minutes to go get my car (which was parked in the street a few feet away) then promptly lost the ticket I handed him and didn’t believe me when I told him that it was the only Ferrari here and had to validate my name. I just told him to give me my keys and we left. Totally disappointed.

Capital Grille

Travel Edition – Orlando

Day 3

Magical dining month (or for us, week) continues with a reservation at The Capital Grille. This is a fine dining restaurant located in the heart of I Drive in Pointe Orlando on the corner of the plaza. I am not sure if they have a dress code but this is definitely one that you can and should dress up for. My wife and I started the day at the Florida Mall where she found a couple beautiful dresses and we were ready for an elegant evening dinner. The Capital Grille does not disappoint.

The plaza “Pointe Orlando” has valet service right in front of the Capital grille for $12 and is free if you are eating at one of the fine restaurants. They also have a large parking garage that charges reasonable prices by the hour. The valets are competent and are familiar with exotic cars (He did a visual inspection of the vehicle before getting in which means they take good care of your car).

The entrance to Capital Grille is small and understated and has some old world charm to it. The Hostess was warm and welcoming (some of these restaurants can come off as snobbish but this one did not) and immediately led us to our table. It is our anniversary week (and yes, we celebrate it for a week each year) and my wife had notated that on our Open Table reservation. They had a special table in the back room all set up and waiting for us in a quiet and romantic corner along with a card and tasteful decoration (It was a special surprise that really speaks to how some places do just a little extra to make it special and we really appreciated the gesture).

The décor reminds me of an upscale hunt club with dark red walls and pictures of animals but somehow feels cozy. I did see what looked like a large bronze eagle in the center of the main dining area and the chef’s behind glass and wearing Covid masks. There are clocks above the eagle representing time from around the world that remind me of grand central station. I appreciate any restaurant brave enough to show you the kitchen in action behind glass, it shows confidence that they are doing everything right and based on the meal I would say that is correct. I would say the atmosphere is a kind of relaxed elegance.

Our server (Ivy) was fun and witty while keeping it upscale (we really liked her and based on the positive attitudes of the whole staff I would guess they have a solid leadership team). She immediately made us laugh when she said that the one thing she knew she couldn’t have but was craving was wine (she was pregnant). She explained the differences between the magical dining menu and the normal menu. They do not cut any corners here, the same items on the regular menu were on the magical dining menu but at a reduced cost to benefit charity. We appreciated that they do not scale anything down for the specials and still offer to let you add on as you please. We ordered some nice sauvignon blanc and waters and away she went. They are great at giving you privacy at all the right moments but always being there when you want them.

The Capital Grille is known for their custom aged and butchered in house steaks (not many places do it in house and you can taste the difference) so my wife ordered the 8oz Filet Mignon and a field green salad for an appetizer and I ordered the bone in, dry aged New York strip 14oz and New England clam chowder for an appetizer. The Magical Dining menu comes with accompaniments for the table, tonight was Sam’s mashed potatoes and creamed spinach (and both were excellent). We added twin lobster tails (probably butter poached) with a wonderful sauce as an add on to the meal. The steaks were beautiful and perfectly (expertly) cooked as was the lobster. In fact I would give all the food here a perfect 10. The desserts are fresh made nightly so they are always changing to keep it fresh. Tonight we were served a decadent flourless chocolate cake and Creme Brulee cheesecake with a chocolate “Happy Anniversary” (very upscale) and a full regular Crème Brulee for me (I think Ivy had something to do with that as it as not on the Magical Dining menu). The desserts are incredible so save some room for these special treats, their pastry chef is amazing.

Overall the experience is world class and the food is amazing. Take advantage of the special pricing and enjoy this one. Kudos to this team!

Fogo de Chao

Travel Edition – Orlando

Day 2

Magical dining month continues with Fogo De Chao an authentic Brazilian Steakhouse. We have never been to a Brazilian steakhouse before, but I had heard many things from friends in the past. There is one major consistency, “I hope you like meat”. We were interested in this one in particular because it is part of the magical dining experiences and keeps within the theme and culture. They use the traditional “Goucho” way of preparing meat in Porto Alegre, Brazil (10 different cuts for magical dining and 16 on the regular menu) and continuous tableside service.

Located on I Drive in Orlando’s “visitors’ corridor” this restaurant is very convenient when you are visiting any of the many attractions in Orlando. In fact, from the parking lot you can clearly see the “Orlando StarFlyer” the world’s tallest swing ride. They have complementary valet service and we found the valet team very pleasant.

We checked in and were led into the dining area that had a traditional western meets transitional twists (like the fireworks looking lights in the center of the main dining area). The décor was fun and inviting while somehow making our seating feel a bit private.

Service: They take service very seriously (almost too much) but are genuinely helpful and are trying to make sure you have a great experience, the waiter told us he would have us speaking Brazilian by the end of the night, and while that didn’t really happen you can’t help but get pulled into the experience. I really liked that they were also wearing traditional Goucho outfits as they served the tables and seemed very happy (sometimes “hooping” with exuberance) when you enjoyed a particular cut of meat. We were asked by our server if wanted to request a specific or special cut of meat and you could tell that they really try to make your night special.

Wow, appetizers: We ordered our drinks, I had the traditional drink of Brazil called “Fogo premium caipirinha” (which tasked a bit like a strong muddled margarita) and my wife ordered the Meiomi pinot noir. We were then invited over to the market table and Feijoada bar with exotic vegetables, fresh salads ( I really enjoyed the apple salad), traditional black bean stew (Feijoada), meats (different cuts of salami, smoked salmon, and more), fine cheese selection, and fresh soups. The truth is we probably could have just eaten straight from the market table and been happy.

When we returned to the table they had additional side dishes including warm pao de queijo (a wonderful cheese bread, yum), crispy polenta (which my wife really loved), mashed potatoes, and caramelized bananas, all of which were amazing.

And then it started…..(I mean that in the best way). The most incredible cuts of meat came out and the Goucho chef’s each came to the table with their offerings and big smiles enticing you to take (with your little tongs) their fantastic creations. And they were all amazing!!! We got to the point where we had to turn them down because we were getting full and we still wanted to enjoy the desserts. I almost felt like I was in my (wonderful) mother in laws house who puts food on my plate faster than I can eat it and I feel bad when I can only eat three servings 😊. It reminded me of when we went to Ireland and someone had to explain that a meal out was a multiple hour experience that should be savored with your closest loved ones.

After explaining that we could only eat so much (and they seemed disappointed) they offered dessert. My wife was looking forward to the cheesecake and the staff (I say staff because there were multiple people taking care of us) explained that they were out of cheesecake but would happily upgrade us from the basic magical dining menu to other options (which was nice). She ordered the Key Lime Pie which was fantastic, and I ordered the molten lava cake. I think I can say that it was the best molten lava cake I have ever had and I did not expect that from a Brazilian steakhouse.

Overall, the experience was nothing short of amazing, the service was incredible, the atmosphere was fun, and the food was incredible. My advice, be prepared to eat, take your time, invite some close friends, and enjoy this wonderful restaurant experience!

This one is a WOW and should not be missed.